Determination of bioactive nitrile glycoside(s) in drumstick (Moringa oleifera) by reverse phase HPLC

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of novel bioactive nitrile glycosides niaziridin and niazirin in the leaves, pods and bark of Moringa oleifera is reported. Niaziridin is a bioenhancer for drugs and nutrients. The analytical conditions for reversed-phase HPLC with UV detection were as follows: column, Chromolith RP-18 e, 4.6 × 100 mm 0.5 μm (Merck); column temperature, 25 °C; mobile phase, a 20:80 (% v/v) mixture of acetonitrile: Phosphate buffer – pH 3.8; flow rate, 0.7 ml/min; detection at 220 nm. Method precision (relative standard deviation) was 1.81% for niaziridin and 1.94% for niazirin. Niaziridin (0.015% and 0.039%) and niazirin (0.038% and 0.033%) are present in leaves and pods, respectively. Niaziridin and niazirin were not detected in the bark of M. oleifera. Relatively higher amount of niazirin was present in leaves in comparisons to the pods while niaziridin content was about three times higher in the pods than the leaves of the M. oleifera. The method is robust to evaluate niaziridin and niazirin in samples from M. oleifera as well as for quality assurance of pharmacologically active standardized extract.